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Stuttgart system
Stuttgart system is a star system in Rheinland space, between the Omega 7 system and the New Berlin system. Planets Planet Baden Baden Baden Baden is an idyllic world of large oceans, black sand beaches, and the odd hot spring bubbling from volcanic outcroppings of rock. Orbital Spa and Cruise Lines maintains a popular resort here, though it has seen a decline in business as the economic situation in Rheinland grows worse while radicals sympathetic to the LWB farmer's movement attack government officials who vacation here. Orbital has reportedly been trying to remedy the situation by attracting bargain-hunting Liberty tourists. Planet Stuttgart Stuttgart is a green, almost inconceivably fertile world owing to the high concentration of carbon dioxide and oxygen in its atmosphere. While the oxygen-rich atmosphere made industrial development infeasible -- one stray spark could set off a massive conflagration -- farming has been hugely successful as many plants from Earth and elsewhere in Sirius took to the environment without problem. Stuttgart has since become the primary source of Food for the entire Rheinland nation. However, concessions granted to Synth Foods by the Rheinland government have allowed them to purchase many of the cooperatives and individually owned farms on the planet, spurring the creation of the LWB farmers' rights group. Aalen A harsh, rocky moon of narrow peaks and deep valleys once formed in volcanic upheavals that have long since stilled and grown cold. Whatever atmosphere may have once been present has evaporated into space over the millennia. Planet Breisgau A dense planet covered in sheets of ice several kilometers deep. Surveys have detected no signs of life or mineral deposits worth excavating. Freiburg Station was constructed in orbit to provide a cargo switching facility for ships carrying goods to and from Stuttgart along the nearby Trade Lanes. Bases Darmstadt Depot Stuttgart has been the breadbasket of Rheinland since 100 years after settlement. Over time, its farmers formed a powerful union, named the WVS. The organization successfully lobbied the Rheinland government to subsidize Stuttgart agriculture for hundreds of years. With the end of the 80-Years War in 680 AS, however, the subsidies were no longer tenable. In a secret deal during the war, the Rheinland government borrowed huge sums from Liberty. Facing default on their loans, they were forced to offer something to House Liberty. Synth Foods wanted complete access to Stuttgart, which Rheinland granted in exchange for renegotiated debt repayment terms. Immediately the Liberty Food giant moved in, buying out huge numbers of nearly bankrupt Stuttgart farmers. Much of Stuttgart was converted into vast expanses of the bio-engineered mono-crops of Synth Foods. The government backed the foreign company wholeheartedly and looked the other way as Synth Foods used unscrupulous business practices to further consolidate its control over Stuttgart. Remaining independent farmers were forced to buy all of their Fertilizers and seeds from Synth Foods and sell all of their production to them at low fixed rates -- prices that were designed to squeeze the maximum out of the farmer and shift all risk away from Synth Foods. The once proud Stuttgart farmers were reduced to indentured servants. Inexorably, Synth Foods assimilated the bulk of the planet’s arable land, dutifully paying its Rheinland federal taxes and feeding the bribe machine in New Berlin. The WVS tried to fight back legally in the courts but soon discovered that their influence had been sold to a higher bidder. Finally, in what some called an act of desperation, the more radical elements of the WVS left Stuttgart and founded the Landwirtrechtbewegung -- farmers rights movement -- simply referred to as the LWB. LWB built a small depot called Darmstadt within the Ostnebel. This serves as a base for operations targeted at Synth Foods convoys within Rheinland space. The Red Hessians also use it as way station along their route to Omega-11. The “war” has been going on for 25 years now, and both sides claim to be winning -- although Synth Foods now controls 90 percent of the planet’s agriculture vs. 60 percent just three decades ago. Freiburg Station Freiburg Station was originally constructed in 312 AS as a clearinghouse for produce harvested on Stuttgart, but not it also handles traffic from foreign shipping companies who increasingly use the Stuttgart system as an alternative to shipping through the Hamburg system. Konstanz Border Station Konstanz Border Station is one of two command centers for the Rheinland Federal Police in the Stuttgart system. The Federal Police is tasked with handling the interdiction of all illegal activity in the area, including drug trafficking, smuggling, and pirate activity. Ulm Border Station Ulm Border Station is one of two command centers for the Rheinland Federal Police in the Stuttgart system. The Federal Police is tasked with handling the interdiction of all illegal activity in the area, including drug trafficking, smuggling, and pirate activity. Jump Gates/Jump Holes * Jump Gates ** New Berlin ** Omega 7 ** Omega 11 * Jump Holes ** Dresden (4G) ** Omega 11 (6C/D) Wrecks Nurnburg (sector 6C, center) The remains of the Red Hessian ship Nurnberg. It is believed that they were running Side Arms out to bases in the Border Worlds. * Contains: ** 2x Natter ** 1x Natter Turret ** 20x Light Arms Patrol 421 (sector 6D, upper-left) One of the lost ships of Rheinland Federal Police Patrol 421, which disappeared several months ago. * Contains: ** 2x Stealthblake Mk I (1 ship) ** 2x Stealthblake Mk II (1 ship) Babylon (5F, center-right) The wreck of the Babylon. The Orbital Spa ship was attacked by the LWB along the Trade Lane to Baden-Baden some time ago. It was carrying Luxury Goods. * Contains: ** 6x Starbeam Turrent ** 10x Luxury Consumer Goods Belknap (4G, center-left) The hulk of the Synth Foods ship Belknap. This ship was just reported lost by Synth Foods a few days ago. It may still contain Luxury Food cargo. * Contains: ** 20x Luxury Food Fields Ostnebel A stray wisp of the Walker Nebula. Red Hessians often use the cloud to organize attacks against traffic along the nearby Trade Lanes. Rheinland Federal Police also believe that LWB-backed terrorist activities originate from here, though they have so far been unable to locate their base of operations. Westnebel A drift of the Walker Nebula. The cloud hides a substantial amount of criminal activity, chiefly Red Hessians, who prey on both food shipments outbound from Stuttgart and rich tourists heading to sample the pleasures of Baden-Baden. Category:Systems Category:Rheinland Systems